Infant&#39;s garment.



W. B. TYRRELL.

INFANTS GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1909.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

WITNESSaE'. a G M (W QMMXAM ATTORNLYS.

WALLACE B. TYRRELL, OF DELAVAN, WISCONSIN.

INFANTS GARMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1910.

Application filed April 3, 1909. Serial No. 487,659.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVALLAOE B. TrnnnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delavan, county of W'alworth, and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Infants Garments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in underwear for infants.

It is a well known fact that during a certain period of an infants life, it is of vital importance that the abdomen of the child be not only well protected with a soft, warm covering which will exclude the cold, but also that all that part of the body over and around the navel and umbilicus be supported and securely held in place until the muscles become set and firm. Heretofore to meet such requirements, it has been common to use one or more separate pieces of fabric and also to use numerous bandages in addition to the under garment, which separate pieces and bandages were liable to get out of place, whereby the child is made uncomfortable and its health and life endangered.

By my improved garment not only the required thickness of covering and warmth are attained, but the garment also includes as an integral part, an abdomen support or band, which is stitched to and retained in place by the undergarment, while it facilitates securing the front overlapping parts of the garments together.

The construction of my garment is explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a top view thereof in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the front open preparatory to being placed around the child; and Fig. 3 represents the back of the garment as it appears when closed.

Like parts are identified by the same reference figures throughout the several views.

The garment proper is preferably made of a knit fabric, the back 1 and sleeves 2 of which are substantially of ordinary construction. To facilitate placing the garment upon and removing it from a child, it is preferably made with a vertical opening in front and in this respect is similar to a coat with this exce tion that the sides 3 and 4 are so forme as to overlap each other almost or quite entirely across the front part of the body, whereby the required thickness and warmth is attained, as stated, without additional covering, while the central or waist portion of the garment is provided with a broad belt or band 5 formed of strong flexible material, which is permanently secured at its respective edges to the exterior surface of the garment in such a manner that when the garment is closed in front, the ends of the belt overlap each other and the front portion of the band or belt cooperate with the overlapping portions of the garment to support the abdomen of the child in its normal position, whereby the necessity of using additional bandages as heretofore for such purpose is avoided, while the belt or band serves the additional purpose of reinforcing the garment proper and the liability of the fabric of which it is composed becoming unduly stretched or torn as it is sooured together around the child is overcome. A still further object attained by the belt or band is found in the fact that it furnishes a substantial fabric to which the buttons (3 are attached and in which the button holes 7 are formed, while the ordinary knit fabric of which the body of the garment is composed is too fragile and delicate for such purpose.

I preferably secure a plurality of buttons to the inner fold of the garment some of which are located near its marginal edge and others back from the edge upon the opposite side of the vertical center of the garment, while I provide the other overlapping member of the garment with button holes so located as to register with such buttons when the garment is closed around the child, whereby the overlapping members may be secured together, both at their re spective edges and at a distance back from their edges, and the liability of such overlapping members becoming wrinkled or out of place is entirely overcome.

\Vhile I have shown and described the overlapping members of the garment as secured together by buttons and button holes, it will be understood that hooks and eyes, or other equivalent fastenings may, if desired, be substituted therefor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A knit garment of the described class, the marginal edges of the garment and at open in front, and having overlapping front a distance back from such marginal edges. 10 members, a reinforcing band or belt sur- In testimony whereof I afliX my signature rounding and permanently secured at its in the presence of two Witnesses. marginal edges by stitches to the Waist of VALLACE B. TYRRELL. the garment, and means for securing the Vitnesses: overlapping members of the garment in- W. E. LITTLE, eluding such band or belt together both at H. V. STURTEVANT. 

